Method and apparatus for uniformly pneumatically dispersing material

Abstract

The invention employs high volume air to form a cloud of coating material or material to be uniformly dispersed and conveys it to a plenum or common area of the receiving material which is coated. A mixer creates turbulence in the receiving material to turn up new receiving material to be coated. The invention has application to cement mixing, pigment and starch mixing, or even the mixing of atomized or vaporized fluid with on or more receiving materials to establish optimum surface connection for producing stronger cement or utilizing less materials for the same strength or optimizing the dispersion of the cloud introduced material with the receiving material.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. The method of uniformly dispersing dry additive material into aggregate receiving material comprising the steps of: entraining the additive material in air;   conducting the entrained material to a predetermined size surface area of the receiving material while,   confining the entrained material to a closed space between a source of said additive material and said receiving material to form a cloud of additive material particles impinging on said predetermined size surface of the aggregate receiving material; and   agitating the receiving material at said surface area to present new surface areas of receiving material to said entrained material.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 including the further step of: gating the additive material being conducted to control the quantity introduced to the receiving material.   
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1 wherein said air is high volume, low pressure air in the approximate range of 8-10 p.s.i. at said surface. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1 wherein said additive material is atomized. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus for uniformly dispersing dry additive material into aggregate receiving material comprising, in combination: mixer means for agitating the receiving material to change the surface areas thereof;   means for entraining the additive material in air; and,   means for conducting the entrained material into contact with a changing predetermined size surface area of said agitated receiving material;   said means for conducting comprising means for confining the entrained material to a closed space between a source of said additive material and said receiving material to form a cloud of additive material impinging on said predetermined size surface of the changing aggregate receiving material.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising: gating means for controlling the quantity of additive material entrained.   
     
     
       7. Apparatus for uniformly dispersing additive material into receiving material comprising, in combination: mixer means for agitating the receiving material;   means for entraining the additive material in air; and,   means for conducting the entrained material into contact with a changing predetermined size surface area of said agitated receiving material comprising   a chute;   a dust box in communication with said chute; and,   a flexible skirt extending from the dust box to the surface of said receiving material to direct the entrained material into surface contact with the receiving material.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising: adjustable gating means in said chute for restricting the quantity of additive material passing to said receiving material.   
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising: vibrating means for vibrating said chute to assist the transport of said additive material.   
     
     
       10. Apparatus for dispersing additive material into agitated receiving material comprising, in combination: means for entraining the additive material in air; and   means for conducting the entrained material into contact with a surface area of said receiving material;   said means for conducting comprising:   a chute;   a dust box connected to said chute; and,   a flexible skirt extending from the dust box to the surface of said receiving material.   
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: gating means for controlling the flow of additive material.